[Access to the early diagnosis of dementia in New Brunswick: perceptions of potential users of services depending on the language and the middle of life].

OBJECTIVES

The early diagnosis of dementia (EDD) enables the identification of reversible causes of dementia and allows the timely implementation of secondary preventive and therapeutic interventions. This study explores New Brunswick seniors' perceptions of the accessibility and availability of EDD services as well as their satisfaction with them while taking into account their language of use and place of residence (urban or rural).

METHOD

Self-administered survey exploring perceptions of EDD services in Francophone and Anglophone seniors from rural and urban areas of New Brunswick. Univariate and bivariate analyses were carried out.

RESULTS

Of the 157 participants aged 65 years and over who filled out the survey and whose data were analyzed, 84 identified as Francophone, 72 of whom lived in rural areas. Bivariate analyses showed that linguistic groups were comparable with regard to their perceptions of the availability, access to, and satisfaction with EDD services. However, when taking the geographic dimension into account, linguistic intergroup and intragroup disparities were observed, notably in the areas pertaining to the type of services available in the area.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that seniors who live in rural areas of New Brunswick are a particularly vulnerable group with perceived limited access to EDD services in their area.